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Andries explodes on the other end of the line. “I can’t believe it. Look at you! The fucking puppet of a nearly convicted rapist! What a new low, Elise. Congrats.” From somewhere in the room with him, I can hear Roxanne protesting his harsh words, which makes me feel even worse because she’s defending me. “Don’t bother coming to Italy with us,” Andries sneers.
I pause. “Wait, what? Italy? You’re coming to Lake Como with Mom and Pops too?”
Andries also hesitates, the anger falling out of his voice. “Huh? I’m talking about the trip Dan is preparing for us to go to Capri. It’s for my bachelor party.”
If I thought I had been upset before, it was nothing compared to what I feel right now. Tears roll down my cheeks, and I’m infinitely glad my brother can’t see me. “Holy shit, he’s taking you to Capri?”
“Wait—he didn’t tell you? Fuck! I thought you were among the group of friends he’s bringing. You know, given how close the two of you are.” Andries puts his hand over the phone receiver, and it sounds like he’s talking to someone. Roxanne, I assume.
“No!” I say when he returns. “I thought you were talking about the Lake Como trip Mom and Dad have planned. Our family vacation…” My words trail off.
Andries stutters and then goes silent before sighing. “Ah, hell, Elise. I’m sorry. I thought you knew. Damn. Looks like we are both heading to Italy with very different people.”
“Yeah… have fun in Capri.”
It takes him a second to answer, and if there's one good thing about finding out that Dan has excluded me from my dream vacation it’s that Andries is definitely feeling more pity than anger for me now. “Have fun in Lake Como, sis.”
The line goes dead. I drag my hands across my face, clearing it of any tears, before rushing to my dad’s office. I knock oncebut don’t wait for a response. He’s on a call, but when he sees the look on my face, he hangs up immediately.
“Did you know Dan and Andries were going to Capri at the same time we are going to Lake Como?” I demand.
His expression goes blank with surprise. “I had no idea. Dan just told me he had another trip with friends.”
“Of course he did.” I cross my arms around myself, clenching my teeth so I don’t appear as upset as I really am, but Dad sees through me easily.
“Hey, dear, why don’t you sit down with me,” he says comfortingly, rising from his desk and walking over to the leather couch on the other side of the office. His tone reminds me of how he used to speak to me when I was little, soft and kind. So different from the harsh, scheming voice that he uses at work.
I sit, and he puts an arm around me, pulling me in for a side hug. I sniffle but don’t cry, trying to get my emotions under control.
“I–I wasn’t even invited,” I say shakily. “I thought Dan was my friend. I’m heartbroken, Dad. I’ve told him so many times how much I’ve always wanted to go to Capri.”
Dad is quiet for some time, just holding me. I know he’s putting the pieces together, realizing why this upsets me so much. It isn’t just that he’s going to Capri without me… it’s that Dan knows it’s someplace I’ve longed to go to, and he wants to avoid me so badly and cares about me so little, that he left me out completely.
That, and the fact that I think I have genuine feelings for Dan, and now I don’t get to go with him.
“Elise, why don’t we cancel the Lake Como trip and go to Capri instead? I know you want to go, and we probably won’t see the other group. Would that make you feel better?”
I shake my head. “No. It’s okay. The island isn’t big enough to completely avoid them, and I don’t want my summer vacation to be ruined even more by running into Dan.”
“Have you ever considered just telling him how you feel?”
I know he doesn’t just mean about Capri, but I don’t acknowledge it. “No. I’m not going after him and begging for an invitation. He knows what he’s doing.”
Dad sighs. “Maybe he doesn’t. Something tells me that this young man truly has no idea what he’s actually doing… or at least he doesn’t fully understand.”
I don’t say anything, just soak in the comfort of this moment with my usually brusque father, watching out his floor-to-ceiling office window as the sky opens up once and for all, and the rain comes.
When I leave for the night, the storm has abated, and everything smells like fresh earth. I start to order an Uber, but stop. Maybe I’ll walk the canals instead and try to clear my head.
The first thing I have to do is the easiest: piss off Karl. I gleefully pull his contact information up and text him:Ask your PA to book the girls. Roxanne is out.
He tries to call immediately, but I simply block his number and take a deep breath of the fresh air, glad to be free of him for the moment at least.
I’m one of the only ones out after the rain, and it’s so soothing, just the sound of the water in the canals and the city starting to come back to life after the storm. I pass the Astoria hotel and pause, looking through the windows at the cafe bar inside. On a whim, I enter, knowing how much Dan loves thisplace and wanting to be close to him in some way, even if I hate him right now. He’s still heavy on my mind and heart.
As I expected, he isn’t here, but I take a seat anyway, ordering the Hibiscus blooming tea off the secret menu like I’ve heard him do before. The bartender raises her eyebrows, but nods, disappearing into the back.
She returns, setting the tea service in front of me. The scarlet flower is already starting to open, tendrils of the essence rising through the water.
